Wednesday, June 14, 2017

“When I see Arseny play I see the whole history of piano playing begin to unfold before me”
– celebrated Dutch/Australian pianist and pedagogue Gerard Willems

Impressing a huge audience in Australia with his performance at the Sydney International Piano Competition, Russian pianist Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev is making his mark as a musician of extraordinary gifts. He came runner-up at the 2016 competition (which was broadcast and streamed around the world), earning praise for his commanding technique, elegant sound and wide-ranging repertoire.

Now the 23-year-old musician – who is the grandson of one of the great pianists of the 20th century, Tatiana Nikolaeva – has signed to Decca Classics in an exciting new partnership with Universal Music Australia.

Dr. Alexander Buhr, Manager Director of Decca Classics, says: “We are very proud to welcome Arseny to the Decca family. His profound musicality and deeply lyrical talent are a rare treat in a musician of his young age, and we can’t wait to see him grow and develop in his career.”

Cyrus Meher-Homji, General Manager of Universal Music Australia’s Classics & Jazz division, describes Tarasevich-Nikolaev as “the piano’s ultimate aristocrat” whose deeply-felt and individual performances persuaded him to sign this remarkable artist to one of the world’s leading record labels, Decca Classics. It is the first time, Decca Classics and Universal Music Australia have collaborated to sign an artist.

Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev’s debut album is due to be released worldwide in 2018 and will be titled ‘Moments Musicaux’. It will be an all-Russian programme – a tribute to his heritage. Featuring Rachmaninov's Moments Musicaux, Prokofiev's Visions fugitives and pieces by Scrabin, Medtner and Tchaikovsky. The recording will also include two Études by his grandmother, Tatiana Nikolaeva.

Tarasevich-Nikolaev has a host of upcoming performances including Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, a tour with the LPO of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 with Sir Roger Norrington conducting, as well as recital debuts in London, Berlin and Vienna, and further concerts in Japan and Australia.